Real Madrid " Bully " Bayern To Reach The Finals

Hours before the kickoff at the Allianz Arena, Bayern Munich supporters started posting on social networking sites that they would take down their 1-0 deficit of the Leg-1 and " Humiliate " Real Madrid at their home ground. 

But, the result turned out to be a little different. 

Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid were on fire as they smashed an away victory and bagged their place in the Finals of the UEFA Champions League. They sailed to the Finals after their one-sided victory over the defending European champions, Bayern Munich. 

This defeat, was a humiliation for the Bavarians in every prospect after they thrashed Barca in the Semi-Finals before overcoming fellow Bundesliga mates, Borussia Dortmund to lift the trophy for the fifth time. This would however increase the pressure on manager, Pep Guardiola who has been able to win the league in the record time but failed to deliver the progress what his employers were expecting of him.

The future of the former Barca coach would be still a concern to Real as they now in the Finals of the UEFA Champions and they have a golden chance to add another Champions League trophy when last time Zinedine Zidane high volley gave them their ninth Champions League title. Ancelotti's boys were in the fifth gear on the pitch and got their first victory over the Bavarians in their ten attempts.

                                                 Real Vs. Bayern

                                         As It Happened......

With Carlo Ancelotti and Zidane sitting on the bench, watching the Los Blancos on the German soil, Real Madrid started the match with a verve and were looking to get into the Finals of the UEFA Champions League from the very beginning. 

Gareth Bale had got really close of scoring the opener for his side but with a weak punch by Manuel Neure, the ball went a corner for the Los Blancos. Spaniard Sergio Ramos was left unmarked during the corner kick and he headed the opener from Luka Modric's corner kick. 

Shortly afterwards, Real were able to double their lead as Ramos was again able to put the ball in the back of the net when Angel Di Maria's exceptionally great curling free kick was headed into Bayern's goal. 

Bayern fans were stunned and were left speechless by the style of football produced by Real, which is very unlikely to see. Ancelotti's Madrid were on full throttle as they smashed their third goal .Karim Benzema hooked the ball for Gareth Bale who got clear and squared the ball of Cristiano Ronaldo who made another record of 15 goals in one Champions League season. 

With Bayern needing four goals to square of the Semi-Final, the second half was kind of flat for the spectators. The Bavarians were trying to have a comeback as Arjen Robben curled the ball dangerously near the goal twice and Frank Ribery got a rare save from Iker Casillas. 

Real were winning on an aggregate of 4-0, but something was still left for the fans.
Portuguese forward, Cristiano Ronaldo curled a 20-yard free-kick into Bayern's net and completed off their misery and ignominy time. 

Scout report-Stefan de Vrij

A detailed scout report on Stefan de Vrij

The Netherlands national team have a good youth set-up in behind the scenes , when it comes to giving young players chances at international level. Yes, this also is credit to the exceptional academies at clubs such as Ajax, Feyenoord, AZ Alkmaar, PSV etc , but the national team set-up has it's fair share too. The country is home to many young bright talents, some of whom will undoubtedly be the stars of tommorow. The current list consisting of these young talented players, on whom there are quite big expectations have the likes of  Blind, DeVrij, Willems , Clasie , Maher etc.

A mainstand in that list is Stefan De Vrij, who is a promising Centre back with great potential. He plys his trade at Feyenoord Rotterdam. A club which has a reputation of having the 2nd best youth academy in Holland, of which De Vrij is a product of. 

As far as his playing style goes, De Vrij has very much earned a reputatuion of being a very reliable Centre back who can also fill in at Right back if needed. He's incredibly composed with the ball at his feet and is a fine passer too as he often likes to switch play from one end to the other. This season, he's managed a pass success rate of 87.3%. At 6'2 , he's stands an imposing presence at the back and wins a high percentage of headers in his own half. He's remarkably good at dealing with teams who press high up the pitch and often brings the ball out of defence on his own in a serene way. 

Tackling is an area De Vrij excells at. He's a classic no-nonsense old school tough tackler who shines out in one on one situations. Moreover, De Vrij is blessed with great positional sense as he has a tendency to be in the right place at the right time in the penalty box when it comes to clearing final balls/crosses put in the box be it at ground , or in the air. This is one his biggest assets. De Vrij's and Janmaat's good perfomances are one of the major reasons behind feyenoord's success in the past two seasons.  

Furthermore, the 22 year old Feyenoord captain does have a strong authority over his players and is a leader on and off the pitch.When judged on Individual perfomances , De Vrij seems to be ready for a move to one of Europe's elite clubs. Also , his perfomances have attracted huge interest from some big clubs. Reportedly, there were many scouts present to watch him this season. Most notably from Arsenal , Liverpool and Everton. After the world cup (if given a chance) or in a season or two De Vrij will be a target for many big clubs.

Recently, Feyenoord's technical director Martin va Geel told Algemeen Dagblad on the future of De Vrij : "Talks have stopped and we will wait for the summer. With De Vrij, we have already made the decision to wait until after the World Cup (before re-evaluating the situation)." His market value at this moment and time stands in the reigon of 6-8ml euros, but feyenoord won't let leave him for a fee less than the 10ml mark. A move to England looks very likely at this stage considering the reported interest.  

It would be a valuable accquisition for any club who manages to get De Vrij. His perfomances justify that. 

Who Would Replace Moyes?

David Moyes, former Everton manager was asked to do the impossible job of replacing Sir alex Ferguson in the starting of the season after the legendary manager announced his retirement. Not a lot was expected of him in his first season with the Devils, but the Scottish manager wasn't able to impress everyone with his managing tactics. 

The next question is that who would be the next manager of the Reds?
Lets have a look on the possible replacements which we might see at Old Trafford. 

4. Louis Van Gaal 

Van Gaal has already announced that he would be leaving the post as Netherland's coach after the World Cup at Brazil. He has been linked with Tottenham whose current manager Tim Sherwood is likely to leave the London side in the summer.

The Dutchman is loaded with experienced with European clubs, as he has managed Barcelona and Bayern Munich in his career, as well as Ajax. He is a big name which United's American owners may want after a gamble of David Moyes.

3. Ryan Giggs

Having established his name on the pitch for the Devils, the Welsh-age-defying midfielder is ready to make his mark on the dug-out. Destined to be a full-time manager of a team, Giggs has been selected as a temporary player-coach for the rest of the four remaining league games and will have the immediate respect from his team-mates if he is selected as a permanent manager.

Ryan Giggs' career at United include 13 Premier Leagues, 4 FA Cups, 3 League Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, 1 UEFA Super Cup, an Intercontinental Cup and a Club World Cup.

2. Jurgen Klopp

The charismatic German manager, Jurgen Klopp has said that he would not be coming to Old Trafford as he is committed with Borussia Dortmund, telling the British newspaper, The Guardian on Tuesday.But, things change, he might get interested to get into a job of one of the best clubs of all times.

 He coached Borussia Dortmund to the Finals of the Champions League last season and has led the team to win two Bundesliga titles in last two seasons.

1. Diego Simeone 

The former-Argentine international and current Atletico Madrid manager, Diego Simeone has shook European football with his managerial time at Atletico Madrid. His team are on the top of the League table ahead of the two behemoths, Barcelona and Real Madrid.

Diego Simeone guided his Madrid side to win the Europa League in 2012. His side are currently the only unbeaten team in the UEFA Champions League and would be facing Chelsea in the Semi-Finals.

Are Man United right in sacking Moyes?

The sacking came hours after the rumors spread

The imminent has finally transpired. Manchester United have now officially sacked manager David Moyes after a torrid introductory season in charge.

The sacking order came when Chief Executive Ed Woodward had reportedly met Moyes at Carrington at 08:00 hours and that was when the news broke out.The hand picked Scot ,who had divided the Man United faithfuls into two halves,is now ready to pursue his career elsewhere as Tottenham look a viable alternative.

Now,the question which is being put up on social media says that are United right in sacking David Moyes as their manager?

The question may seem fairly easy to respond to for fans who refused to stand by Moyes but the question can be debated upon further. 

Transition periods are the most darkest periods of a football clubs history and Moyes' reign proved it again.The way Liverpool had handled their transition was highly commendable considering how swiftly they jumped out of it.

They appointed famed people like Roy Hodgson ,Rafael Benitez and Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish,but in vain.None of them seemed good enough to reinforce the former playing style.And the recovery came because of the unlikeliest of people-Brendan Rodgers.

If we look at United's condition as of now,David Moyes' sacking has left a huge void open in the United backroom staff.The transition period proved out to be too cruel for the Scot and United are searching for managerial options within months of doing it last time.The example of Liverpool shows why giving a manager ample amount of time can pay off and can reward you with something unexpected.The same can be seen in Inter Milan's case of transition.

Moyes took over the reigns in July last year and was lucky enough to last 10 months and many would agree that it was a bit careless on the Glazer's part not to give him time. It looks like The Glazers have not learnt anything from Liverpool's and Inter's examples.

Understanding a club as prestigious and big as Manchester United takes loads of efforts,especially when you have been managing Everton for more than 10 years. Through the years Moyes had spent at Everton,he had got acclimatized to the club of that stature and moreover,it was never easy to fit into the over sized shoes of someone as able as Sir Alex Ferguson himself.

The players were also never looking determined enough to perform under Moyes and he hardly got his tactics right.The morale was low and the shoulders drooped every time United went down in a game.This serves as a testimony to how torrid his season was.It also indicates what type of a road a manager has to trod upon when replacing Sir Alex.

Ryan Giggs will act as the interim manger

If reports are to be believed,United are already searching for Moyes' replacements with Atleti manager Diego Simeone,Dortmund's Jurgen Klopp and Louis van Gaal being seen as possible recruits. 

What about Ryan Giggs? Can Ryan Giggs succeed in replacing Moyes permanently?Comment Below!

El Clasico- Preview

It's that time of the season when everyone have got to stick to their television screens- El Clasico, as Real Madrid look to take on Barcelona in the Copa Del Ray Final. 

According to Real Madrid's official website,  on meeting in the Copa Del Ray Final, both teams would be head-to-head in the Copa Del Ray Final for the seventh time. 

Both the Spanish behemoths have three wins for each other in the Copa Del Ray Final with Real Madrid's 2011 win in the Finals being the most recent one. 

This might be the last opportunity for Barcelona to save their season as they travel to Valencia for  the Final facing the invincible Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid. The Catalan club got eliminated by Atletico Madrid from the UEFA Champions League and are currently trailing the LaLiga leaders Atletico Madrid by four points. That's two trophies which have slipped out of the Catalonians.

On the other hand, Ancelotti's Madrid are on the second spot in the LaLiga behind Atletico Madrid from three points. They have been aggressive throughout the 2013-14 season and look set to put the final nail in Gerado Martino's coffin. Cristiano Ronaldo  would still be a question for the El Clasico as he wasn't on the pitch even against Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League in the Quarter-Finals.

CURRENT FORMS- 

Real Madrid- L W W W L W
Barcelona- W W D W L L

POSSIBLE LINEUPS- 

Barcelona (4-3-3): Pinto; Alves, Mascherano, Adriano, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Messi, Fàbregas, Neymar

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Carvajal, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrao; Alonso, Modric; Bale,       di Maria, Morata; Benzema

LAST MEETING- 

The last El Clasico turned out be a sensational one; really, it had everything packed in it. A red card, penalties and a number of lead changes with the Catalans winning over the Madrid side, thanks to Lionel Messi's hat-trick .

MATCH PREDICTION-

I am shamelessly going to predict this El Clasico in favor of Real Madrid. Despite the fact that the previous results in the El Clasico for Real Madrid were not worth remembering, but this time I think they'll edge Gerado Martino's Barcelona.

So, according to me, it would be a 2-1 win for Real Madrid.

Why Week 34 was the best of the season...

Week 34 could turn out to be as decisive as ever

For football fans, the weekend ended with the thrilling Liverpool and Manchester City six pointer. And captain Steven Gerrard’s tears. Liverpool fans overcame all possible emotions within those enthralling 90 minutes.

First the sadness of Hillsborough tragedy anniversary; the silence; the goosebumps at kickoff; the anticipation of how the game will flow; then the elation after Raheem Sterling sidestepped the City defence to open the score; the dream of title; the shrill and stretching of vocal cords after 2-0; the skepticism of holding on; the ‘pinching myself’ at half time; the edginess at 2-1; the disbelief and curse of luck at 2-2; the fear when City dominated; the anger when Skrtel and Suarez flirted with trouble; the mock when Kompany mis-kicked; the ecstasy when Coutinho took advantage; the uncertainty of holding on; the relief on final whistle; the tears of joy; the pumped up feel when Stevie rallied the troops; the spring in their steps and the authoritative breast beating.

In between, as the scoreline remained dynamic, fans from both sides kept calculating different permutations and combinations. It ended the most fascinating football week the game ever witnessed, with some of the most fascinating results.

Mighty FC Barcelona lost out in midweek Champions league action and then fell behind in La Liga race. Both 0-1 defeats to teams sitting on two extremes of Spain. Coach Gerardo Martino’s job could be over by this weekend as the famed Neymar-Messi combo hardly became the “Ney-Messis” they were expected to be. On flip side, Brazil, Spain and Argentina will look upon some key players getting longer rest before the mega event.

Jose gave Chelsea fans yet another trademark “Mou-ment”. Orchestrating a come-from-behind win over Ligue champions PSG, and then edging Swansea to remain firmly in hunt for domestic title. The scoreline in both games were misleading, the Blues should have won with more to spare.

But if someone thought the Stamford Bridge game would be the best come-from-behind-win this season, Mestalla witnessed a bigger miracle just 48 hrs later. Valencia overturned a 0-3 deficit by normal time and romped to the semifinals of Europa cup with a 5-0 win over Basel. La Liga’s reputation got further enhanced when Sevilla FC overcame a 0-1 deficit to beat Portuguese Champions Porto 3-1 and meet Valencia in the semis. One Spanish team is now guaranteed to play the Europa cup finals. Four out of the eight semifinalists of Europe, hail from Spain.

 Upcoming Champions League rivals - Bayern Munich & Real Madrid - had mixed results over the week. Their semifinal encounter is the game both are looking up to now. The German club having won the Bundesliga in record time will have an edge over the Galacticos, who would still be in race for La Liga and recent history against them.

 However the quality of football this week was so high that the best team of the week would still not be either of the elite listed above. Borussia Dortmund, the number two Bundesliga team netted 5-0 over the week - with mighty Real Madrid and Bayern Munich being their victims. However, to be fair, they had little to lose in both matches and played for pride and with limited pressure. Still, knocking Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola in matter of few days is no mean feat. Jurgen Klopp rightly is being tipped to coach Barcelona in the coming season.

The best team of the week, and possibly the season, would be Atletico Madrid. The Rojiblancos first knocked out Barcelona which was huge – the Catalan’s were all set for record seventh successive marriage date with CL semifinals spot. Then Diego Simeone’s men extended their lead on the title race with a 2-0 win. Just like Liverpool, after two decades they see themselves at real shot to create history.

At the finances he operates, Cholo already is the best coach of the year, by a margin. Here’s hoping both Liverpool and Atletico Madrid taste the heights of football. And to the best footballing week in a long long time, thank you and we are leaving some nails behind for the finish. That reminds me.

 Real Madrid do have a chance to make amends when they face Barcelona in Copa Del Ray final encounter tomorrow. But then, Barcelona are also looking to make amends! 

 Oh football!

Two midfield marvels Man United must sign

United are being linked with the Bosnian and the Frenchman

In  a desperate need of some quality recruitment,Manchester United are being continuously linked with a host of marquee players.

Toni Kroos,Edinson Cavani and the likes do top that particular list but lots of questions are being raised,not over the credentials of the players but over whether or not United will manage to bring them to Old Trafford. And taking into the remote chances United have of making it to next season's Champions League,players like Toni Kroos and Edinson Cavani look utterly impossible to sign.

Owners of an ailing midfield,United are looking to secure signings of quality midfielders who can complement the build up play and moreover,take the burden off Michael Carrick's shoulders. Summer recruit Marouane Fellaini is yet to establish a reputation among the Old Trafford faithfuls and there's no wonder why United are being linked up with Bosnian starlet Miralem Pjanic and French midfield maestro Maxime Gonalons.

Both are the sort of players United are in a frantic requirement of and considering the potential of the two midfield marvels,David Moyes must forget about others and sign them up first.

Through the years,we have seen United produce loads of physically strong and hard tackling midfielders,who matched their style of play almost inch perfectly. And MaximeGonalons resembles the likes of Roy Keane closely based on his style of playing the game.He commits himself completely when going into crucial challenges and more so,he is someone who can dictate the play well enough for Lyon .His passing is accurate with impeccable vision and can carry the ball from one box to another quite tirelessly. He holds the ball up well and is adept at moving the ball out of the defensive third to start the attack.

Perfect Fit?

Miralem Pjanic,who's been an influential midfielder for Roma ,has been raising some eye brows off late.If you have ever come across seeing him play,you'd have surely noticed the precision in his passing which almost speaks for itself.He is the one who comes up with the decisive pass in the final third and rips open opposition defenses creatively.

He has also possesses a pair of quick feet and it's a pleasure to watch him bear the weight of the Roman midfield.Moreover,he is an exquisite set piece taker and has an eye for goal.

And both players being mentioned have in entrenched in them,a leadership quality which attracts teams towards them further. With Vidic off to Inter Milan,Pjanic and Gonalons can easily lead an aspiring side to where they actually belong.

Position battles which will go down the wire

This season is turning out to be one of the most nail biting ones

It won't come as a surprise to most Premier League fans that Liverpool may win the title or Manchester United may fall down the pecking order and won't qualify for the Champions League or Fulham may be involved in a fierce relegation battle.

But,to be honest this season has been nothing but prodigious among the others that have been played out through the years.Nobody expected a side as prestigious as Manchester United to linger around the 7th spot when the season kicked off. And quite unexpectedly,Everton are locked in a close battle with Arsenal over the last Champions League spot while the once revered Fulham side has sunk into relegation .

The amount of curiosity which is cropping up as the season is drawing towards the conclusion is colossal.Nobody knows what to expect out of any side and rightly so,anything can possibly transpire this term. Let's take a look at some of the battles which surely will go down the wire this season.2

Hull City v West Ham v Stoke City (10th spot)

"Recovery" is a word which would surely be adored by West Ham United's resilient  manager Sam Allardyce. Seeing their side slump into the red zone did upset many fans but the Hammers manager has performed exceptionally well in taking them back to where they belong.

And it won't be a crime to label Stoke City as the "giant -killers of the season" taking into account the way they have managed to overcome even the mightiest of challenges this term. Ranging from Man United to Chelsea,Hughes' heroes have fought out an incredibly excellent season by their standards.

Hull,though were never ever expected to survive the competition of the League when it had kicked off last year .But,their fortunes thought otherwise as Steve Bruce's side are doing a decent job in clinging on to their Premier League status and defying every non believer.

Expected Winner- Hull,who are currently sitting at the 12 spot are just 4 points adrift from the 10 spot and a point off the 11th.West Ham are 3 away from Stoke but you never know they can pull off with the marvels of their heights and strengths.I do see Stoke holding to the 10 spot quite easily.

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur (6th Spot)

The 5th and the 6th spots in the Premier League are considered to be most unenviable ones after the red ones and Tottenham Hotspur have become accustomed to getting stuck in there.An unexpected rival this season is turning out to be the David Moyes led Manchester United,who have not been convincing this season,

Spurs,the rightful owners of a ramshackle defense and a ridiculous goal difference have become easy victims of the big fishes this season.They have conceded buckets of goals against Chelsea,City,Liverpool but are still somehow clinging on to the 6th spot.Tim Sherwood is enduring a hard time at White Hart Lane but there have been instances where he has shown some qualities of a responsible manager.

On the other hand,David Moyes is not at all enjoying his first spell at Old Trafford after taking over the reigns.Although,their recent performances have been quite valiant but the other half of the season has been truly pathetic for United.Their ailing midfield is need of a revitalization,which will arrive this summer but it remains to be seen whether they manage it to Europe or not.

Expected Winner-There is just a two point gap between the two newly found rivals but Spurs would be frantic not to avoid any slip ups .Much like United,who would be determined to salvage some lost pride by at least making it to the Europa League.Considering the way United have been playing and the experience they possess in such cases,I see them making it to the 6th spot.

Arsenal v Everton (4th Spot)

This season also conveys how almost everything transforms as years fleet past and how good Everton have turned out to be after David Moyes' departure.Nobody ever expected Roberto Martinez to adhere to what he had said when the season had begun but the dream is on the verge of coming true.Arsenal,meanwhile don't seem to look in a comfortable spot in the League following their 3-0 defeat to Everton.

Everton have emerged as a rising force this season and Roberto Martinez has used Moyes' foundations rather spectacularly by using all his players very gainfully.They have been consistent and there's no wonder why the likes of Kevin Mirallas,Steven Naismith,Romelu Lukaku are coming out as top drawer talents.They look very comfortable and everyone wants the ball and are on the same wavelength.

Just when you thought,Arsenal may end their Premier League drought,everything started to go wrong for Arsene Wenger.They have failed big time in overcoming any of the Top 4 sides and all their efforts are,like always,falling apart.Injuries to some of their key players are having a disastrous effect on the side  and Wenger ,owing to lack of squad depth ,is being blamed for another abrupt downfall of theirs.

Expected Winner-Everton may have a match in hand but the tasks of beating the Manchester clubs is never ever easy.They have got an all important clash at St.Mary's as well but Arsenal don't have many tough encounters left to feed upon.So,I do see Everton's valiant efforts going in vain.

The Relegation battle

With over 4 teams being locked in a relegation battle,you never know what each one can throw at each other in order to avoid the dreaded spots.Sunderland,Cardiff City,Crystal Palace,Norwich City,Fulham and West Bromwich Albion are facing one of the most daunting and testing relegation battles the world has ever witnessed and EPL fans would know how unpredictable each side is.

Sunderland ,as expected are going through a tough phase of a battle in which they'd have to fight very hard,in a bid to survive.Gus Poyet has done a decent job in atleast ensuring a hope after Paolo di Canio was axed but he still has got a job on his hands.

Ole Gunnar Solksjaer is struggling critically to get a grip on the game and there's no wonder why he's under the cosh right now.They want points to climb out but they are something which has become tough to get for the BlueBirds.

The impressive Tony Pulis has virtually saved Palace from the dreaded zone but they still have got a bit of work to do,heading into an Aston Villa encounter.Just when we though that Palace were no way near to safety,the messiah took over and did what he does best.

Norwich City are going through an indifferent spell right now after the board sacked Chris Hughton despite of knowing the fact that they play fellow strugglers Fulham next.The road to safety will be a rocky one for interim gaffer Neil Adams and playing out of their skins is their only alternative. 

Things are turning around for Felix Magath's backroom staff as they succeeded in climbing out of the last spot last week.Trying out new combinations has finally worked and it's time he sticks to a conclusive foundation to avoid relegation.

Expected Winners-It would take hell lots of effort from Sunderland to jump out considering the fixtures they have next up while Crystal Palace's future still hangs in the balance.I don't know whether Cardiff can do it or not but one thing is for certain-Fulham will not get relegated in any circumstances.So,I see Crystal Palace and the Cottagers successfully steering away from the dreaded three spots.

The Title Race

In a title race that is the tightest ever,anything can be molded into a sharp needle point. A Renaissance affected Liverpool side are trampling almost every obstruction and seem tough to deny especially when at Anfield.Chelsea,after successfully outstaging PSG 2-0 in the Champions League should keep their heads and chins up in order to  lead the title charge.While ,Manchester City are well placed to overtake Liverpool on winning the games they have in hand.

Well,Liverpool are "Making them dream" aren't they?The way they have emerged out once again as a dominant force in English football is simply astonishing.Brendan Rodgers is doing a splendid job in getting his tactics right and in guiding a club as huge as Liverpool out of the transition period.The SAS pairing is doing wonders upfront while old man Steven Gerrard is performing his job along with Jordan Henderson quite brilliantly.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho may have conceded the title race but deep inside,he knows they are very much in it.Evidently,they are not feeling the inability to buy a striker and the likes of Eden Hazard,Oscar and Willian are settling into the role especially Andre Schurrle. They have dropped points here and there but their ability to win 3 points against tough oppositions is paying off.

Heavy Spenders-Manchester City are once again,challenging for the title with valor and bravery.But this time with Chelsea and Liverpool and not United.They have been ever consistent this term,unlike Chelsea and Arsenal but having two games in hand in a situation as tight as this does pile on the pressure.If they play a decisive game at Liverpool and then Chelsea play at Anfield away to the Reds,we can expect anything to be pulled out from the hat.

Expected Winner-The tie involving City and Liverpool will be decisive to the title race atleast not for Chelsea,who will also play the Reds in their den .City have also got Everton and strugglers Palace,West Brom and Sunderland to play out while Chelsea and Liverpool have also got similar fortunes awaiting them.It pains me to predict that Liverpool will win this (United fan) but believe me,anything is possible as of now...

All Teams Set For Semi Finals of The Champions League

Chelsea was able to turn over their 3-1 deficit against PSG when Andre Schurrle and Demba Ba helped Mourinho's side to reach the Semi-finals of the Champions League. Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid were able to take revenge from Borussia Dortmund of the last season when they finished the German side's Champions League campaign with a 3-2 aggregate. 

The reigning European champions, Bayern Munich seized Manchester United's last opportunity to prove themselves in the 2013-14 season. On the other hand, Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid unexpectedly defeated the club which has never missed the Semi-Finals of UEFA Champions League in the past seven season- Barcelona. 

                                   Real Madrid vs. Bayern Munich

This match would be no less than the Final. The European Champions would be facing a side from which every top team is compared.

Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are definitely the two best teams of the world. Their clash in the Semi-Final would be mouth-watering in every prospect. Both the sides are the most " Decorated " side in this competition as the Spanish giants have won this contest nine times and the Bavarian side has won it five times.

The Bavarians are of course, the reigning Europeans Champions and have already won The German Bundesliga with a number of games still remaining. Their long unbeaten runs in all competitions have created waves across the world.

The same is true for Real Madrid. One of the richest clubs in the world, the Spanish side is overloaded with world-class players, including the Ballon D'or winner of 2013- Cristiano Ronaldo. They won 3-0 against Borussia Dortmund in the leg-1 but went down 2-0 in the next fixture. Considering the fact that this side hasn't won the Champions League in the past decade, they look set to possibly win it this time.

Would the defending European champions be able to beat a side which each and every team fears? 

                                 Chelsea vs. Atletico Madrid

After luckily winning over the Paris side- Paris Saint Germain in Quarter-Finals of the UEFA Champions League on the " Away-Goal Rule ", Chelsea look set to take on this tournament's dark horses, Atletico Madrid.

These two clubs have faced each other only three times. These resulted in one win for each side and a 0-0 draw. While the so-called underdogs of LaLiga, Atletico Madrid have had a firing season and are the only unbeaten team in Champions League this seaon. While on the other hand Chelsea are just two points behind leaders, Liverpool in the English Premier League and might even win the league this season.

Chelsea's current boss, Jose Mourinho would be looking to edge the Spanish side unlike the time when he was Real Madrid's manager and Simeone's star striker, Radamel Falcao scored a hat-trick in the Copa Del Ray Final at the Santiago Bernebeu.

Usually we see two big teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid who are fighting for the LaLiga title, but from a couple of seasons, we have seen a drastic change. Diego Simeone, the current man in charge of Atletico Madrid has ensured that the team had played well through out the season. His side edged the Catalan club- Barcelona 1-0 in the leg-2 of the Quarter-finals when young midfielder- Koke put the ball in the back of net in just five minutes of kick off.

Would Jose Mourinho be able to bring his London side into the Finals of UEFA Champions League for the second time in three seasons? And would he create history to become the only manager to win this contest with three different clubs?

Bayern Munich vs Manchester United 2nd Leg at Allianz Arena

Defending champions Bayern Munich have a slight edge after the 1-1 at Old Trafford versus Manchester United but Pep Guardiola warned of the English club's tactics and quick breaks. After United's great defensive work last week, Pep thinks that Man Utd players wait for them deep in their own half, they are always waiting for the most minor mistakes or breaks. This is one of Pep's greatest concern because according to me he thinks that his most players would run upfront in search of a quick goal. During this when Utd would get the chance they would toss the ball upfront. As most players would be absent from their positions, Utd's offence would get a chance to score a goal. It is what I think, it can't be true.

Guardiola has also said about Utd's talisman Wayne Rooney. Due to his toe injury, a doubt has been cast over his participation in this Champions League clash. Pep says, "He[Rooney] will play, 100 per cent. Great players always play the great games and  I bet a beer that he will play".

Bayern had their first league defeat after 53 games to Augsburg. But after the draw in Manchester and another draw against Hoffenheim, it is the first time since 2011 that Bayern, who clinched the Bundesliga in record time last month, have gone three games without a win.

Bayern will be without two key players in the midfield, with Bastian Schweinsteiger out following his red card in the 1st leg and Thiago Alcantara injured, leaving Toni Kroos and Philip Lahm occupying their positions.

Guardiola Might Get Into A Swap Deal With United

There is nothing to hide that Manchester United boss, David Moyes has shown interest in one of the best attacking mid-fielder of this generation, Toni Kroos.

 According to Sports Direct News, Manchester United might be sacrificing their young talent, Adnan Januzaj to bring Toni Kroos to Old Trafford. 

David Moyes got boosted up to sign Kroos when Toni stalled on signing a new contract with Bayern. However, current Bayern manager Pep Guardiola was reluctant to let go his star mid fielder so easily.

According to various news sources, it has been stated that Manchester United would get into a transfer-swap deal with Bayern Munich which would include Adnan Januzaj (Man. United) and Toni Kroos ( Bay. Munich).

United's young shining star, Adnan Januzaj has shown his skill on the pitch this season. Though he has a less number of goals and assists under his name, his contribution towards the team has been remarkable on the pitch. He has been a shining star for the Red Devils and that is why Guardiola has shown interest in this young talent.

Ricardo Kaka , Europe bids adieu.

Ricardo Kaka , Europe bids adieu.

They say players who make people love football come few and far between. Well, Ricardo Kaka is one such player. He was blessed with blistering pace , great technique  and could make sublime turns to lose a man. Kaka had a combination of explosiveness , touch and technique that made him a counter attacking threat and last but not the least , those exquisite flicks in the middle of the park and a tendency to find the perfect final ball almost every time are some unique qualities possessed by the 2007 Ballon D’or winner. Though the pace is probably not the same now , but Kaka is still very quick for a 31year old play-maker.

Kaka , who’s move left Milan fans in tears , cemented a place in every football fan’s heart before leaving for Madrid. Now, after four hard years he’s come home to “grow old” as he said earlier this year. The day he captained Madrid against Ajax, was a day where in the the feeling in the capital was that Kaka will be leaving Madrid soon.

He had achieved everything at AC Milan , but his decision to come back or rather to “come home” to help and contribute his wealth of experience to a club which was not going through one of its best spells, really says a lot about him. Milan had given Kaka everything and not to the surprise of many , Kaka was ready to give back something to the club he loved.

 Be it at Milan or at Real Madrid , Kaka has always taken chances given to him and has time and again showed what a unique player he is. He had a hard time in Spain and it clearly didn’t go according to what everyone expected. Although it was a joy to watch him play with some of the best players in the world , he suffered long term injuries. His knees giving out were a major part in him not being able to remain fit on a consistent basis. It was clear that he didn’t have any luck on the injury front but also when fit , Jose Mourinho didn’t see Kaka in his plans.

Kaka on the other hand constantly kept showcasing his abilities in the limited time which he was afforded; he performed well in the Champions League matches as he added to his goal tally which now stands at 29, the most by any Brazilian, but him playing a major role for Madrid just wasn’t in the script. His talent was always only utilized in patches over his four year stay in the capital.

Finally, he put an end to the misery and returned to his beloved AC Milan this season. He’s so loved in Milan that when he arrived for his medical at the Guissepe Meazza , journalists lined up just for an autograph of this happy go lucky Brazilian legend . Kaka this season has been the glue holding Milan players together and when given a chance , he’s always had the final say either in delivering a decisive final pass or scoring a vital goal.

A 31 year old being the driving force at a club as big as Milan speaks volumes for the influence that he has at Milan. This does take some doing. As thankful as a player he is , he’s been a symbol of loyalty for all clubs he’s represented in his career.

He’s been loyal to football in general and clearly is thankful to God for the talent he has; characterized by his trademark celebration. This year he’s showed what love and passion mean, by helping Milan in what has been a hard season for the Rossoneri. Unfortunately, the match against Atletico Madrid arguably was his last game in the Champions league. AC-Milan don’t look to have a squad required to challenge for a top four place next season. Furthermore , there have been reports that Kaka is on his way out looking for new experiences as he’s rumoured to have a pre-contract agreement with MLS side Orlando City.

Sadly, It’s looking more and more like that Europe has seen the last of this immensely talented footballer who will go down in the history books as a great champion, a player who was wonderful to watch and the beauty of his football was for the world to admire; the one who got neutrals off of their seats celebrating in joy.

Kaka will be missed, as Europe bids him adieu….. 

Barca's President " This ban is unjust"

J.M. Bartomeu, Barcelona's president says that the transfer ban handed to them by FIFA was unjust.

The Catalan club has been banned from buying players till the summer of 2015 as FIFA found the club guilty in the past few transfer windows while they were signing youth players.

Barcelona has said that they would be appealing against this ban.
"We are going to fight because this ban is a total unjust." said Bartomeu

The FIFA investigation for the under-18 players who played for Barcelona between 2009-2013 concluded that the club and the Spanish Football Federation are guilty of a 'serious' infringement of the rules of transfers of 10 players.

The rules of FIFA state that international transfers can only be permitted if the player is above the age of 18. Or unless the player in question follows any one the tree criteria.

1. Under 18's can only be permitted for an international transfer if the parents of the player move to that country for non-footballing reasons.

2. If he/she is from another country in the European Union or European Economic Area and is aged between 16 and 18.

3. If he/she lives within 100kms of the club.

After Chelsea appealed successfully against their two-year ban when they signed young Gael Kakuta from Lens, Barcelona confirmed a couple of days back that they would be appealing against this unjust ban on them just like the London club.

The rule seems to protect the minors against clubs which incorporate players without providing them rights and education, which are the basic needs for youth academies.

Barcelona were planing to buy big players like Juan Cuadrado, David Luiz and Marc-Ander ter Stegen, but due to the ban which unfortunately will last till the summer of 2015 would however affect their performance in the upcoming season as two key players ( V. Valdes and C. Puyol) would be retiring.
Barca would be on their tips to appeal against this unjust ban as they think that all the transfers in the last four years were legal.

United 1-1 Bayern Munich-What we learnt?

The much anticipated clash ended in a hard fought truce

The draw for the Champions League always pulls off some off these and there is no margin for even the minutest error in a game as exciting as these.Manchester United were pitted against the mighty German giants Bayern Munich and for the first time in years,the encounter was treated to be a David and Goliath one.

The game,rather unexpectedly concluded as a 1-1 draw but the prospect surely caught the attention of many football fans around the world.Both sides,Moyes' Manchester United and Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich had to fight utterly hard to earn a stupefying stalemate .Outgoing skipper Nemanja Vidic broke the deadlock in the 58th minute only to see United's dream of beating the Bayern getting shattered by a Bastian Schweinsteiger equalizer.

Here are some lessons we learnt from the supreme showdown which took place at Old Trafford-

5. Buttner makes a case for himself

Many neutral and rival fans had fight off their bouts of laughter when United's second choice left back Alex Buttner proclaimed that he would try and control Arjen Robben effectively .But,the young Dutchman lived up to what he actually said and defied people who said -"Better said than done".

He succeeded exceptionally well in closing down compatriot Arjen Robben and was rightly,one of the nominees for the Man Of the Match award.

His abilities have come into question recently,but his showing against one of the most dreaded right wingers proved why,he can replace Patrice Evra as United's first choice left back.

4. Robben is not as monotonous as we think

Alex Buttner's work was cut out even before the game started, but we can say that he got off a wee bit easy only because Arjen Robben was deployed in a different role by Pep Guardiola.

He was roaming around freely on on the pitch,disregarding his tendency to work out on the right side,quite predominantly.To work out openings ,which were too tough to find,Arjen Robben  operated everywhere on the pitch for the Bavarians and even combined well with hitman Franck Ribery to carve out a decent amount of half chances.

We are now ,quite used to seeing him make a trademark cut inside the box from the right but yesterday,we realized that Robben is after all,not as monotonous as he seems.

3.Welbeck-good but not good enough

The man who has been working up the pecking order continuously,Danny Welbeck could have proved out to be the real difference maker for both the sides ,but once again,his finishing let him down quite blatantly.

He was put clean through on goal by Wayne Rooney and it caught Bayern off guard,quite easily.Welbeck,owing to lack of experience decided to chip a well positioned Manuel Neuer ,but the opportunity was blown away quite easily by the 23 year old Englishman.His quick feet did help him agitate  the likes of Jerome Boateng,Rafinha and Javi Martinez but simply failed when he needed to deliver the goods.

We have seen,through the seasons,that his finishing has let him down and it was proved once again,that Welbeck still needs to work upon his finishing and shooting abilties.

2.Lack of competition costs Bayern dear

United were already being counted out against Bayern Munich but David Moyes got his tactics and substitutions impeccably spot on.

No doubt,Bayern were exceedingly appreciable in keeping hold of possession throughout the game,but faltered when pressurized even once by the quick and agile feet of the United boys.The only reason one can think of is the lack of competition present in the Bundesliga.They are not at all used to falling prey to this kind of pressure all of a sudden and much like against City and Arsenal,they collapsed against United as well.

As a result ,Bastian Schweinsteiger got sent off in the 90th minute and will miss the next leg.English teams have succeeded in picking out weaknesses in the Bayern side and above is the only reason why Bayern can't perform exceptionally well against them.

1.Man United never die

Despite of enduring an utterly torrid season under new manager David Moyes,Man United decided not to give in against the mighty giants from Bavaria.

Nobody expected United to deliver a rock solid performance against the self proclaimed "Best Team of Europe" but much to the surprise on even some United fans,the showing was tremendously commendable.They defended deep and maintained a high line up the pitch to deny Bayern even the slightest of openings.Although,Bayern head into the 2nd leg,holding a slight advantage but I get the feeling that United will "upset" the European Champions.

A much favored chant for Old Trafford faithfuls-"Man United Never Die",fits almost inch perfectly into the way they played against Pep's people.They were resilient and possessed their trademark qualities of the Never Say Die attitude and there's no wonder why United would be happy with the result.